DUSHANBE, December 24, 2008, Asia-Plus  -- An international conference dedicated to the 100th birthday of known Tajik politician and researcher Bobojon Ghafurov has opened at the Kokhi Vahdat State Complex in Dushanbe in Dushanbe today.

Known Tajik scientists and their colleagues from other countries, as well as members of the government, MPs and the representatives of diplomatic missions accredited in Tajikistan have attended the conference.

Addressing the conference, President Emomali Rahmon noted a great contribution of Bobojon Ghafurov to development of science and culture in Tajikistan.  “In connection with the jubilee of the prominent scientist we have decided to re-publish his main work, The Tajiks,” the president said.

Today, the first copies of The Tajiks in Tajik and English have been presented to the conference participants.

50,000 copies of The Tajiks in Tajik with English translation are expected to be published by 2011 due to funds provided from presidential reserve fund.

Bobojon Ghafurov (1908–1977) was a Tajik historian, academician, and the author of several books published in Russian and Tajik, including History of Tajikistan and The Tajiks.  He was born in the village of Isfisar near Khujand, Sughd province.  He received his PhD from the Institute of History of the USSR Academy of Sciences in Moscow in 1941 with a dissertation on "History of the Isma’ili Sect."  From 1944 to 1946, he was the Second Secretary and, from August 1946 to 24 May 1956, he was the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Tajikistan.  From 1956 to the end of his life, Ghafurov served as the Director of the Institute for Oriental Studies of the Academy of Sciences of the Soviet Union, and the Editor of the Asia and Africa journal.

The town of Ghafurov and Bobojonghafurov district in the Sughd province are named after him.